Mavericks: Please Ditch The Green Uniforms At Once

The Dallas Mavericks never accomplished a single thing while wearing the ‘throw back’ green uniforms of the Don Carter era, so why keep wearing them?

The Dallas Mavericks, along with most teams in other major sports, have had a long-standing fetish for the ‘throw back’ concept where uniforms are concerned. What’s intended to create a sentimental feel amongst the fans in attendance and for those watching on TV, this thing is actually an attempt to sell more jerseys than the market probably bears.

Another consideration when discussing the ‘throw back’ concept is exactly what the fan base is throwing back to. In other words, what’s the measure of success that we’re supposed to be looking back on?

For other NBA teams or those in other sports, the ‘throw back’ might create those sentiments that make your eyes water just a touch while also creating a feeling of warmth.

Well, the Mavericks don’t fall into this somewhat typical description when we’re talking about older uniforms, do they?

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Original Mavericks owner Don Carter brought the Mavericks to the city of Dallas as a brand new expansion team that would begin play during the 1980-81 season. The logo chosen resembled that of the Metroplex Major League Baseball team, the Texas Rangers. A big, white cowboys hat identified both clubs, neither of which ever meant squat professionally until the late 1980s.

The Mavericks chose royal blue and golf course green as their official colors and would stick with that look up until current owner Mark Cuban purchased the team from then-owner Ross Perot, Jr. in 2000 – Carter sold the team to Perot in 1996.

Not long after, the Mavericks said farewell to the original color scheme and Carter’s cowboy hat logo in favor of the current logo, which is much more modern, dynamic and also representative of a championship franchise that’s appeared in two NBA Finals in the last 10 years.

The Cuban era, even before the championship season of 2010-11, was fully ignited during the early 2000s with the additions of Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash at the end of the 90s. At the very least, the NBA Finals run of 2005-06 proved that Cuban’s vision and leadership could make things happen that simply didn’t before.

Let’s put it this way: The Mavericks always stunk while wearing green, and that includes any years in which the old color scheme was used while simply flipping the road jersey’s to blue with green trim. The whole era represented more failure than success, a distinction that erupted just as it appeared that Dallas was ready to become the class of the NBA as a still-young expansion team.

Yes, I’m aware that there were a few exciting seasons prior to Cuban.

However, do you really care to recollect the seven-game Western Conference Finals in 1988 when the Mavericks finally fell to the Los Angeles Lakers?

Not really.

The Mavericks wouldn’t even qualify for the playoffs the very next season while finishing just 38-44

In fact, the Mavericks only went to the playoffs six times during the Carter and Perot administrations, all coming while the former was still owner. The last trip for Dallas, before Cuban, saw a three-and-out showing against the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the playoffs following the 1989-90 season.

Then the real fun began.

A record of 28-54 in 1990-91.

How about 22-60 in 1991-92?

Then 11-71 in 1992-93.

Not only did the Mavericks absolutely suck, but the NBA Lottery never did this franchise a single favor at all.

Was this because of the green?

Maybe – you notice the color the Mavs were wearing on Sunday night against the Spurs in San Antonio?

From 1991-93, the first overall selections were, in order, Larry Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal and Chris Webber. Not one of them ended up in Dallas.

Instead, the Mavericks, still wearing plenty of green, mind you, were drafting first-round players like Doug Smith, Jim Jackson and Jamal Mashburn. Even Jason Kidd‘s arrival as the second overall selection in 1994 – that team went 13-69 – came at the expense of not landing Glenn Robinson.

Throw in the disastrous career of Roy Tarpley, and I don’t think there’s much to reflect on in terms of the Mavericks wearing blue and green from yesteryear. Besides, it looks kind of silly when the Mavericks are wearing an old, green road uniform at home on top of a home court decorated with modern shades of blue that doesn’t match at all.

Next: Texas Longhorns: Tough Road Ahead Despite Early Success

No, it doesn’t matter that the shorts are looser and longer today, either.

The Mavericks launched a run of 13 trips to the NBA playoffs in 14 seasons once they ditched the green roadies, even making it to the postseason during the silver trash bag look of 2003-04.

Navy blue skyline jerseys are fine, but it’s time to let the green go.

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